World

Winter Storms Now Have Names? Yes, Thanks to Social Media

When did we start naming winter storms? That was the question on everyone's minds on Wednesday as a Nor'easter named Athena whipped through the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast coasts.

A new naming system put in place by The Weather Channel has its roots in social media to make it easier for people to communicate and share information about winter storms. The network is the first to name them, similar to how tropical storms and hurricanes have been referenced for years.

"In addition to providing information about significant winter storms by referring to them by name, the name itself will make communication and information sharing in the constantly expanding world of social media much easier," The Weather Channel meterologist Tom Niziol wrote on the site. "As an example, hash tagging a storm based on its name will provide a one-stop shop to exchange all of the latest information on the impending high-impact weather system."

As anticipated, it didn't take long for the name to catch on by the media and social sites, as many shared updates and pictures with the hashtag #Athena.

Last month, The Weather Channel released a list of the 26 names it will use to track noteworthy storms this season. In addition to Athena, many have mythological or historic ties, from Brutus and Caesar to Gandolf and Plato. Other interesting selections include Q — for the subway line in New York City — and Rocky for the mountain chain. For a full look at the name list, click here.

The Weather Channel said giving a storm an official name will be based on a series of objective and subjective factors, such as impact due to snow or ice within three days, disruption to road and air travel and life-threatening conditions from wind, snow, ice and cold.

What do you think of the new naming system? Will it help people better connect on social media sites and get more information? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

8 Social Media Hoaxes You Fell for This Year

1. Fake Hurricane Sandy Pictures

While everyone waited the arrival of Hurricane Sandy, social media users shared completely fake storm images, including this one, which combined a New York harbor photo with a 2004 picture, taken by photographer Mike Hollingshead.

2. The Future Isn't Here Yet

Remember that scene in Back To The Future, when Doc sets the DeLorean to an obscure future date? On June 27, 2012, a Photohopped image pitted that day as "the future," and the rumor spread quickly on Facebook. Except that day day wasn't "the future" -- the clock is actually set for Oct. 21, 2015.

3. #BaldforBieber

In October, a hoax involving Justin Bieber encouraged fans to shave their heads to support the pop star, who -- according to the false rumor -- was recently diagnosed with cancer. A video posted to YouTube included fake, Photoshopped tweets from his account announcing the news and pictures of fans shaving their heads for support. #BaldforBieber also started to trend in the U.S.

4. Facebook Shutting Down

A rumor that Facebook planned to shut down its site on March 15 made the rounds earlier this year, claiming CEO Mark Zuckerberg “wants his old life back” and desires to “put an end to all the madness.” A Facebook spokesperson later debunked the rumor, saying “the answer is no, so please help us put an end to this silliness.”

5. Morgan Freeman Death Rumors

Social media occasionally circulates false celebrity death rumors, but the alleged news about actor Morgan Freedman's passing in August took on a life of its own. His fake Facebook tribute pageraked in nearly 1 million Likes, and the rumors picked up again in October, when people on social networks shared their condolences.

6. Bieber Naked Photos

To grow hype around his new song “Beauty and the Beat,” Justin Bieber tweeted that someone stole his laptop. However, the singer confronted someone claiming to be the thief on Twitter, who said they would release big news and a controversial video online the next day. It turned out to be a marketing ploy.

But the news ushered in a wave of security concerns. Some cybercriminals set phishing traps and lure unsuspecting consumers to click on malicious links based around pop culture news, especially when leaked photos are involved. And this is precisely what happened.

7. Facebook Privacy Status Update

In June, a fake "Facebook Privacy Notice" took the social network by storm, urging users to re-post a message that would allegedly protect their privacy. The concept was based around the faux notion that the company's IPO would affect user privacy. Facebook members were quick to share the post, and before we knew it, the false claim had overtaken the site.

8. Fake Kidnapping

When a 16-year-old girl from New Jersey tweeted that someone was in her house and then mysteriously disappeared, Twitter users rallied around her message. Not only did #HelpFindKara trend worldwide on Twitter, nearly 34,000 people retweeted her call for help. But police discovered she actually faked her own kidnapping.

The news didn't sit well with the Internet — many said they were "disgusted" with her tweet, which caused fear in so many people. Police later found her walking alongside a highway and returned her safely to family.

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